The Roaring Twenties, Take Two

Among the momentous events that marked the month of September were the Big Four Fashion Weeks (New York, London, Milan and Paris) and the return of “Downton Abbey” for its fourth season. And both the catwalks and the TV series celebrated the Roaring Twenties and that decade’s forward-looking, frivolous fashion.

“In the 1920s everything seemed to be rising, from the stock markets, to hair and skirt lengths and eyebrows in response to the aforementioned hair and skirt lengths,” writes historian Delia Deleest.

“L’Echo de Paris” with women’s fashions from the 1920s.

On the runway, several designers paid homage to the 1920s look with dropped waists, sequined tops and beaded skirts.

In Paris for the Miu Miu show, Michelle Dockery, a.k.a. Lady Mary from “Downton Abbey”, was reportedly impressed by the designer’s collection of summer coats and playful frocks with a twenties’ twist.

In the menswear department, the iconic US brand Brooks Brothers sent down the runway models wearing tailored suits, bow ties and canotier hats who seemed to have walked out straight from The Great Gatsby’s party.

And who better to channel the Roaring Twenties spirit than Chanel, who revolutionized women’s fashion back in the day?

In 2013, exactly 100 years after Coco Chanel opened her first boutique in the French resort of Deauville, the Chanel look remains one of laid-back chic and timeless elegance. My personal coup de coeur is the sock-shoe, which I will definitely incorporate into my wardrobe.

Chanel runway at the 2013 Paris Fashion Week. Photo via Style.com.

And where is sustainability in all of this, you may ask?

At the London Fashion Week, Livia Firth’s Green Carpet Challenge unveiled a capsule collection for NET-A-PORTER featuring sustainable creations by leading designers including Christopher Kane and Victoria Beckham, proving that green-and-glam fashion is indeed on trend.

At the same time, according to Orsola de Castro, founder of the label From Somewhere, “The concept of a fashion week is pretty environmentally unfriendly. But a fashion week where most designers incorporate elements of sustainable design innovation is something I can see in the near future.”

From Somewhere recycled fabric dress. Photo via Yoox.com

Looking ahead to the next decade, will it prove to be the Roaring Twenties, take two? Whatever the zeitgeist of the 2020s, I do hope that we will witness another fashion revolution — this time a sustainable one.